In 2012, when Embrace Richmond began doing community building work in the Historic Brookland Park area, one of the top concerns we heard was, “I wish someone would get the young men to stop dealing drugs on the street corners.” Longtime Embrace Richmond resident leader, Rudy Green, shared this dream. He had been one of those young men when he was younger and had lost much of his adult life to drugs, crime and incarceration. One day Rudy approached a group of young men who were dealing drugs on the same corner at the same time that the High School bus dropped off the neighborhood youth. Rudy asked the young men, “What is it going to take to get you off this corner?” The young men answered him, “A job.” Rudy came back to our leadership team and shared the story. He then proposed that we try to reach young people before they get to that point. A few months later, Rudy started a mentoring group for young boys. When we asked the boys if they could do anything to make their neighborhood better for young people what they would do, they said, “Provide a safe place to hang out and provide jobs so we can earn some money.” Over the next few years, Rudy meet with the boys weekly and our leadership team helped Rudy create small job opportunities for these young men. They started a lawn care service, Embrace funded internships at local businesses, we encouraged our supporters to hire the young men for odd jobs. However, none of these projects were consistent or sustainable with our...

On September 27, 2016 the “Neighbor Revolution” officially launched. What started out as a dream birthed out of the success of one block club, became a reality with four new block connectors committing to starting block clubs on their blocks. We are so thankful to these connectors who accepted the challenge of strengthening our community one block at a time. We want to officially thank: Michael Lease 2800 block of Hawthorne Avenue Maria Carra Rose 2700 block of Edgewood Avenue Ollie Hill 5300 block of Troy Road Trayce Colbert-Morris 3000 block of Moss Side Avenue Research proves that neighborhoods where neighbors are connected, invested and in-control of their community are the ones that thrive. Block connectors perform four critical foundations. They CARE: Connect with their immediate neighbors Asset map those on their block Release neighborhood gifts through action teams Educate their neighbors about community building opportunities Want to learn more about how to become a block connector: Contact Leroy Jefferson at (804) 252-7237 or via email at Leroy@embracerichmond.org....

We are thrilled to welcome Leroy Jefferson to the Embrace Richmond team! In his role as the Strategic Implementation Manager, Leroy is providing coaching and support to neighborhood leaders and congregational partners across Metro Richmond. We first met Leroy though his lovely wife, Angela who serves as the co-leader of the Griffin Block club as well as the leader of our Come-Unity prayer circle. Leroy and Angela returned to Leroy’s family home in the North Central community roughly two years ago and have a shared heart for this neighborhood. Leroy spent more than than 30 years working in the business sector as a bio-chemical researcher, a quality control manager and a business owner. He will be applying his analytical and strategic skills to our Inside Out Community Development process as he walks with our partners who are transforming neighborhoods from the inside out. Leroy is also an ordained deacon and licensed minister with more than 30 years experience working in the local church and as the director of his own ministry. Leroy’s unique experience in business and ministry are the perfect match for the opportunities Embrace Richmond has received through our growing partnerships. Please join us in welcoming Leroy to the team! If you would like to learn more about the work of our North Central team and the Great Neighbor Revolution that Leroy will be helping to support. Check out our latest video highlighting this effort....